A foal died of its injuries last month after being distressed by a powered paraglider flying low over Port Meadow. Oxford City Council has appealed to the public for information after this and another incident of powered paragliders flying around the meadow. The Council believes that there are three individuals involved in these incidents and is threatening legal action, pending investigation by the Thames Valley Police’s Rural Crime Team.
A powered paraglider was spotted above Port Meadow on 10th April, flying ‘low and erratically’, according to the Council. This caused distress to a group of horses, and a foal was injured. Though it received medical attention, the foal was put down due to its injuries.
On the evening of 20th April, three paragliders were seen ‘swooping low and noisily’ above the meadow, and witnesses reported that horses on Port Meadow were again visibly distressed.
Deputy Chief Executive of the Council Tom Hook said: “These reckless actions have not only caused significant distress to the animals and local residents but have also resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of a foal.”
Mr Hook stressed the danger posed to local wildlife and residents, saying: “The safety of the animals, residents, and visitors to Port Meadow is of utmost importance, and we will continue to work closely with the police and community to prevent further incidents.” Cherwell has approached Mr Hook for comment.
Along with the adjacent Wolvercote Common, Port Meadow is a registered Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), due to the many resident species of cattle, horses, and waterfowl. The Council refers to the site as “Oxford’s oldest monument”, as the meadow has remained largely unchanged since its use as a Bronze Age burial ground. The horses on the meadow are “semi-wild”, and the Council website forbids their being disturbed “by any circumstances”.
Oxford Direct Services, a Council-owned company responsible for waste management, issued a statement after the paragliding incidents saying: “We’d like to remind all residents and visitors: Port Meadow is a vital natural habitat, home to wild ponies, birds, and other wildlife.
“It’s a shared space where animals roam freely – and where our presence must be careful, calm, and respectful.”
In recent years, animals on the site have suffered injuries and intestinal blockages due to an uptick in littering. Since 2022, Port Meadow has been a registered water bathing site, but its water quality has been assessed as ‘poor’ every year since, due to the significant levels of bacteria such as E coli and intestinal enterococci. If water quality at the site does not improve to a standard “fit to swim in” by 2027, the meadow’s status as a bathing site will be rescinded.
The Council has asked that anyone with information about the incidents, or with knowledge of the identity of the individuals involved, to report relevant details to the Police Rural Crime Team by contacting 101.
